POPULAR: An Emma Teen Fan Fiction (Sunrise High #3)

POPULAR: chapter two (The Boy Next Door)

Chapter Two

The Boy Next Door

    The night after Phoebe’s wedding, Ethan arrived at our house for dinner as usual.

I was sitting glumly at my desk, the one overlooking the swimming pool, trying to resolve a difficult match, when Ethan snuck up behind me, put his hands over my eyes and said, “Honey! What scheme are you working on now?”

    “It’s very rude of you to sneak up on me, Ethan. I thought you’d be busy impressing your new girlfriend...”

     “First of all, your dad said I could come up. Second of all, Gigi is not really my girlfriend… yet. And you are extremely judgmental, Honey Woodhouse. I expect better of a girl who has been given so many advantages.”

    I rolled my eyes.

    “Besides, you’re the one who left the door open, practically inviting me in,” he added.

    “You know you always have an open invitation to raid our pantry and play repeated versions of Star Trek on the flat screen. Even so, a gentleman would knock!”

    “Honey, sometimes I wonder what century you live in. I’m not trying to be ‘a gentleman’ as you put it.”

    “Well, that’s good Ethan because it says here in an online etiquette manual circa 1888 that, ‘a gentleman always knocks and opens doors for a lady.’”

    Ethan looked at me and smiled.

     “Mmm… Since Phoebe and Mark are on their vacation… What’s for dinner?” He asked.

     “Well, Daddy needs his nutrients so I was thinking of making him vegetarian lasagna but as it happens, he’s going to be working late and won’t appreciate a home cooked meal tonight. So, in Maria’s absence, I thought I’d order take out.”

     “Sounds good.”

     Ethan often came over for dinner. His favorite food is pizza, mine is Thai but we both like Chinese; a happy compromise.

     Daddy came in to collect something he’d forgotten, just as I was ordering.

    “It’s good to see you, Ethan,” my Dad said as he grabbed his cell. He was still in his office suit. Daddy is quite old but he still rushes around like a much younger man. He has a strong work ethic. He owns some big financial firm and they’ve been very busy recently trying not to lose their client’s money. I don’t know a whole lot more than that. Still, I wish Daddy would take it easy. I worry about him all the time.

     Ethan and I were slumped on the couch when daddy rushed out again. An old movie was playing on television: How to Marry a Millionaire. Marilyn looked so pretty in that – all the girls did then. I love old movies but Ethan likes it more when there are car chases and stuff blows up on screen.

     I began working on my dating plans during the commercial breaks as we waited for the food delivery.   

     When the take out arrived, I snapped shut my dating journal – filled with notes I was taking to formulate my plan of action for the month.

    Ethan smiled with self-satisfaction.

    “I didn’t want you to dine alone for the first night in six months.”

     I smiled at Ethan. He was, it has to be said, kind of cute in repose.

    The dining room table had been set especially by our housekeeper Maria who always set a special place for Ethan. Now that Ethan’s cousin had married my babysitter and neighbor, I felt we were officially non-blood relatives and Ethan acted all protective and critical sometimes – just like I imagined an older brother might.